Thursday, August 24, 2006

Rembrandt booklet

The Associated Press and Canada.com report collectors are snapping up a commemorative book of stamps after Dutch postal authorities suspended the print run because it copied a German stamp without permission.

According to the report, "The offending stamp, featuring a portrait of Rembrandt's first wife Saskia, was part of a booklet published by TPG Post to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Dutch painter's birth on July 15."

TPG spokesman Toby Ellsen is quoted as saying "TPG had an agreement with German postal authorities to create a stamp with a picture of the German stamp. Instead, TPG inadvertently reproduced the German stamp for the Dutch version."

Only 45,000 copies of the booklet were printed. Customers who bought the booklet could return it and get their money back, "but as you can imagine, there is probably nobody who has done so because the market value is five to six times the regular value," Ellsen said.

Copies of the booklet (shown above) are being offered on eBay by BookletKing.

Click here to view their listing along with additional information, photos and background.